


You weren't abandoned

by Fearmyboxers



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: David Adopts Max (Camp Camp), F/M, Makki, dadvid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-28 12:50:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19812664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fearmyboxers/pseuds/Fearmyboxers
Summary: Summer has come to an end after what seemed like an eternity, Max was the last camper behind. Thinking his parents completely forgot about him and abandoned him.





	You weren't abandoned

Max looked at David and Gwen, his duffle bag over his shoulder. “It isn’t like I’m going to miss the two of you or this shit excuse of a camp or anything….” He scrunched his face up. “But, if they decide to get rid of me again, I guess I’ll see you guys next year.”

“Max…” David balled his fist at his sides. “I hope you will keep in touch and that we’ll see you again next year.” The redhead walked up to Max, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve grown a lot this summer and you are a good kid, I’m really sorry that your parents don’t appreciate you.”

Gwen joined David, smiling at Max. “Get on the bus, next summer will be here before you know it. You have your friends here Max, David and I will be here too.” She seemed to cringe when she said that last part.

The ten-year-old struggled to stop from crying. “Fuck it!” Max hugged David quickly, then turned and hugged Gwen. “You both better be here next year!” Max yelled, running onto the bus.

“Ha! Max is going to miss camp!” Nurf laughed, pointing at Max.

Max rolled his eyes, sitting down beside Neil and Nikki. “Like any of you want to have to go back to school.” Thinking about going back to school, the whole bus groaned.

David was crying as he waved goodbye to the bus, giving the camp salute with Gwen. “This was a good year.”

“Yeah, if you ignore the camp almost being shut down by the FBI and the owner being sent to prison.” Gwen let out a big sigh. “At least we didn’t lose any campers and no one was hospitalized for grave injuries this year.”

“Do you think Max is going to be alright?” David asked, walking with Gwen back to the counselor cabin.

Gwen glared at the ground. “I don’t know David. I hope that this was just an oversight, maybe they just forgot to sign him up for a camp for some other reason. Either way, camp is officially over and it isn’t my job to care anymore.”

“Gwen, do you really feel that way?” David sat down on his bed.

“We aren’t their parents David, we aren’t even getting paid enough for everything those kids have put us through.” Gwen started to pack her things. “I have my own life to worry about and while I do hate that Max’s home life might not be the best, there isn’t anything we can actually do.”

“I know….” David stared at his lap. “I just….” He took in a deep breath with his nose. “He is a good kid….He doesn’t deserve this…”

“You think everyone is a good kid, David….Let’s be real here, all the campers have family issues. We just happened to get a little too close to Max’s….” Gwen walked over to her desk to get her magazines. “We can only do so much and we’ve helped to our limit. Forgetting to sign your kid up to a specific camp and not coming to parents day, isn’t enough for us to do more. We just know that Max feels like they don’t care, we have no idea what his actual home life is like or if he is just being a kid that wants more attention.”

The bus stopped at the drop-off, all the kids getting off and greeting their parents who were there. Max, Nikki, Nurf, and a couple of other kids ended up having to wait for their parents to show up. Nurf’s aunt eventually came to get him, his mother being in prison.

One by one the other kids were picked up by their late parents, Nikki and Max sat together as it started to get darker, a few other kids walking around while they waited. “I bet my mom is getting someone to give her a ride.” Nikki nudged Max. “Your parents will be here soon too! What are they like? They didn’t come to parents day.”

Max pulled his duffle back into his lap. “I knew they were going to be late...They probably even forgot today was the day they needed to pick me up.” He bowed his head, closing his eyes. “My parents don’t care about stuff like parents day….They are usually busy with work and their friends.”

“Nicolette! Come on! We have to get home so I can thank this man properly for giving us a ride.” Candy called from a car.

“Do you want my mom to ask the driver to take you home too?” Nikki asked, now worried about Max, only two other campers left besides him.

“Nah, I’m fine Nik…” Max glanced over at the car, seeing Candy lick the driver’s ear. “My parents would be pretty pissed if they show up and I’m not here.”

“You have me and Neil’s emails, keep in touch okay?” Nikki put her hands to her stomach, turning a little paler. “I already feel sick thinking about getting away from nature…” She grabbed her bag and ran over to the car, giving Max one last look over her shoulder. “See you next summer, Max!”

“Bye, Nik!” Max waved, watching the car speed off.

Soon, Max was alone in the dark, sitting on the curb of the drop-off. Unable to contain his emotions, he pulled his legs up and started to cry into his duffle bag. His parents had completely forgotten to pick him up, there was no other excuse for them not being there by now. The boy jerked in fear, as headlights hit him from the empty street.

“Max?” David’s voice came from the darkness, the man coming around his car. “You are still here?”

“David?” Max wiped his tears away. “What the fuck are you doing here?!”

“Language, Max…” David looked around. “I came to check that everyone made it home safely….I’m glad I did….” He kneeled down in front of Max. “I’ll take you back to camp, we’ll call your parents and if they don’t answer, I’ll take you back home myself.”

“Why do you care so much, David?” Max’s voice was small and tired, his stomach hurting from being hungry, his mouth dry from needing a drink.

David held a hand out to Max, smiling. “I know what it’s like to have a parent be forgetful….It’s really late, so we should head back to camp.” Max’s stomach growled, David trying hard to keep himself calm. “We’ll get you something to eat too.”

The two of them went back to camp, after stopping at the diner for something to eat and drink. Gwen was already gone, leaving David to go through all the camper files for Max’s information. Max had been coming to the camp since the year before, but it hadn’t been till parents day that they bothered to actually look at his paperwork. There was a phone number and a home address, David putting the address into his phone’s GPS for later.

“Would you like to be the one to call them? Or would you rather I talk to them first?” David asked, holding the phone out to Max. Max didn’t respond, sitting on Gwen’s bed and pressing himself against the wall. “I will talk to them first then…” David dialed the number Max’s parents gave them, after a single ring his eyes went wide. “Do...Do your parents happen to have another number?”

“I don’t know their phone number...Why did they give you guys a fake number?” Max looked up at David, his body going numb.

“It says the number they gave us is no longer in service….” David put a hand to his head. “I’ll drive you back home. I really feel the need to talk to your parents…” David was slowly beginning to get angry. “Get some sleep. We’ll head out in the morning and get everything sorted out.” Max didn’t need to be told twice, he was out like a light within minutes. David put both his hands to his face. “I’m so sorry, Max…” He said low to himself.

Once the sun began to rise, David and Max were brought into town by bus, since the camp mobile was camp property. David had left his car in the town during the summer, liking to use the camp’s car for nostalgic reasons. Max was a lot quieter than he usually was, he looked really drained of all energy and just used his body language to respond to David.

“I’m sure they just forgot to pay their phone bill.” David told Max, driving down the road. “They probably even just missed the date they were supposed to pick you up. There is still a week before school starts up again.”

“They sent me to camp last year too and were late picking me up.” Max looked out the window. “This is the first time they’ve completely forgotten to come for me though…” Max’s voice was without any feeling to it.

David’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “They did send you a package in the mail at camp.”

“Yeah, a single package in two months and it was just another hoodie…” Max leaned back in his seat. “They didn’t even send me letters like the other kids got, asking how camp was going.”

“You deserve so much better than this, Max.” David glanced at him. “I am going to give your parents one heck of a stern talking to when I meet them.”

“Don’t bother.” Max turned his head to look at David. “My teachers have tried before, nothing has changed.”

The rest of the drive they just listened to music on the radio, with Max looking out the window. David parked in Max’s driveway, Max looking at the car in front of them with a strange expression. “Max? Are you alright? Do you need a moment before we go-” Before David could finish, Max jumped out of the car, running to the door and knocking loudly. “Max!” David went after Max, standing behind the panicked boy. “What’s wrong Max?”

“That isn’t their fucking car!” Max continued to knock, his chest breathing catching.

A man opened the door, looking at Max and David. “Can I help you?” He asked, looking a little annoyed and like he’d been woken up from a nap.

“Who the fuck are you?! Where are my parents?!” Max yelled, his body starting to shake and his eyes wide. He looked behind the man, seeing a lot of moving boxes and furniture he’d never seen before.

“Your parents?” The man took a couple of minutes, his own eyes widening. “Wait. Are you Maxwell Grover?”

“YES! Now, where the fuck are my parents?!” Max had to be held back by David, the redhead trying to understand what was happening. “How do you know my name?! Why are you in my house?!”

“Who are you?” The man asked David.

“I’m a camp counselor for Camp Campbell. Where are Max’s parents?” David could feel Max’s body spasm.

Rubbing his arm, the man moved to the side. “Come inside, I have to make a phone call.” He went upstairs to make his call, letting Max and David sit down on his couch.

“There must be an explanation about what is going on Max…” David looked around, waiting for the man to come back.

“Yeah...They fucking moved away and abandoned me at camp.” Max leaned forward, putting his hands to his face. The ten-year-old had so many emotions going through him, his body continued to shake, and he wanted to cry.

After a couple of minutes, there was some knocking at the door, Max and David looking over as the man ran down to answer it. “They are in the living room.” They heard the man say, then watched as three police officers came into the home.

“Maxwell Grover?” One of the officers asked, moving over to Max and David.

“Y-yeah?” Max stared at the officer, glancing over to the other two officers. “What is going on?”

“We need both of you to come with us to the station, we’ll take you in one of our cars and your camp counselor can follow in his.” The officer took Max to his police car, opening the door.

“David?” Max didn’t really want to be separated from David.

“I’ll be following right behind you guys and will see you at the station Max.” David smiled, watching the officer shut the door and drive off. “What is going on?” David’s smile fading as he asked the other two officers.

“We’ll explain at the station…” One of the other officers answered. “The boy is going to need you there with him.”

Once at the station, both David and Max were brought into an interrogation room together. “So, for the last two months you have been at Camp Campbell, is that correct?” The detective asked, writing notes down.

“Yeah, my parents didn’t want to deal with me for the whole summer and sent me to camp.” Max crossed his arms. “I didn’t expect them to abandon me completely and now even the fucking cops are involved…”

“Max...Please watch your language, this is a detective..” David sighed. “I just can’t believe parents would move away and abandon their child at a summer camp.”

The detective made a cringing face, hand tightening on the pencil she was using. “That….” She let out a sigh. “That isn’t what happened….Your parents didn’t abandon you Max…” She reached into her bag, pulling out a missing person flier. “We’ve spent a month and a half looking for you.”

Max and David looked at the flier, it showing a picture of Max from school picture day and his name under it. ‘Maxwell Grover, age 10, missing. Last seen June 18th, 2012 leaving his home with his parents by neighbors. If seen, please contact law enforcement.’

David looked at the detective confused by the flier. “Why have you guys been looking for him? Did his parents not tell you guys they sent him to camp?”

“His parents didn’t tell anyone they were sending their son to a camp nor was there any evidence found in the home that led to any clues about his disappearance.” The detective closed her eyes. “I am sorry to have to give you this news, but both Lali and Roshan Grover were in a car accident a month and a half ago, neither of them made it.”

Max’s head lulled to the side, his pupils shrinking, and his body going slack. “Ha..Ha...This is a joke they are playing on me right?” Tears started to form in his eyes. “They can’t be dead….They might have been shit parents...But they were...I don’t have anyone else…” Max’s shoulders started to jerk upward from the sobs as they started.

“Oh, Max…” David pulled Max into a tight hug, letting the body scream into his chest and grip his shirt. The detective left to give the two of them some time alone. “I’m so sorry, Max...I’m so sorry….” David clenched his eyes shut, holding Max as he had a complete breakdown.

After a while Max’s mind shut down, causing him to pass out in David’s arms. The detective returned to the room, watching David rub Max’s back. “Before I call DCF, I have to ask you this.” She flinched seeing that David was also crying pretty badly. “He is going to need someone he knows, at least until they can find a place for him. If you could foster him, that would ensure that he is with someone he knows and that he won’t just be bounced around in the system until they can find him a permanent home. That is, only if you want to. He obviously trusts you.”

“Of course I’ll foster him….” David held Max, his heart broken by how events had turned. “...He is a good kid….” In his mind, David was worried about Max’s mental state and how it wouldn’t help him at all to be around strangers.

“I’ll talk to DCF, let them know you are his camp counselor and have been with him for the last two months.” The detective left the room again, leaving David and Max alone once more.

TBC


End file.
